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She and He are the pseudonyms of a real-life couple who live in separate houses in the same city on the west coast of America. She is 88. He is 93.

For 30 years he has provided her with a home and an income, while she provides ‘mistress services’ – ‘All sexual acts as requested, with suspension of historical, emotional, psychological disclaimers.’

They first met at university and then lost touch. When they met again twenty years later, they began an affair when She – a highly educated, intelligent woman with a history of involvement in the feminist movement – asked her wealthy lover to sign the remarkable document that outlines their unconventional lifestyle: The Mistress Contract.

Was her suggestion a betrayal of all that she and the women of her generation had fought for? Or was it brave, honest, and radical?

Then — on a small recorder that fit in her purse — this extraordinary couple began to tape their conversations about their relationship, conversations that took place while travelling, over dinner at home and in restaurants, on the phone, even in bed.

Based on reams of tape recordings made over their 30 year relationship, The Mistress Contract is a remarkable document of this unconventional couple, and the contract that kept them bound together to this day.

The Mistress Contract is Abi Morgan’s Royal Court Theatre debut. Her theatre credits include most recently 27 for National Theatre of Scotland and Frantic Assembly’s Lovesong. Her previous plays for the stage include Skinned, Splendour and Tiny Dynamite. A BAFTA award-winning writer; on film, she wrote the screenplay for The Iron Lady starring Meryl Streep and Shame, directed by Steve McQueen and starring Michael Fassbender and on television, her credits include BBC2’s The Hour, Birdsong, starring Eddie Redmayne on BBC1, White Girl and Sex Traffic on Channel 4.

Artistic Director of the Royal Court Vicky Featherstone directs. This season, she will also direct The Ritual Slaughter of Gorge Mastromas by Dennis Kelly. She has previously directed work by Abi Morgan 27 at National Theatre of Scotland and Splendour at Paines Plough.

Running Time: approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes

Post Show offer for The Mistress Contract
Double Bubble – Buy a glass of house prosecco or champagne & get another glass on us (avail from 9pm).
(House Champagne: £8.50 / glass House Prosecco: £6.50 / glass)
Not compatible with any other offers.

The Mistress Contract by Abi Morgan inspired by the memoir The Mistress Contract by She and He, which is available from our Online Shop

Royal Court stage management wishes to thank Historic Newspapers and Maxell for their assistance in supplying props for this production.

Select a Date

Date

Time

Venue

Notes

Prices

Booking Link

Available Performances

Dates in January

Thu 30 Jan 2014

8:00pm

Concessions Available, Preview Performance

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Dates in February

Sat 1 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Mon 3 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£10

Tue 4 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Concessions Available, Preview Performance

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Wed 5 Feb 2014

7:00pm

Press Night

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Thu 6 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Concessions Available

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Fri 7 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Concessions Available

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Sat 8 Feb 2014

3:30pm

Concessions Available, Saturday Matinees

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Sat 8 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Concessions Available

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Mon 10 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£10

Tue 11 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Post-Show Talk

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Wed 12 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Thu 13 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Fri 14 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Sat 15 Feb 2014

3:30pm

Concessions Available, Saturday Matinees

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Sat 15 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Mon 17 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£10

Tue 18 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Wed 19 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Thu 20 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Fri 21 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Sat 22 Feb 2014

3:30pm

Concessions Available, Saturday Matinees

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Sat 22 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Mon 24 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£10

Tue 25 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Wed 26 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Thu 27 Feb 2014

3:30pm

Concessions Available, Mid-Week Matinee

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Thu 27 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Fri 28 Feb 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Dates in March

Sat 1 Mar 2014

3:30pm

Concessions Available, Audio Described Performance, Saturday Matinees

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Sat 1 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Mon 3 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£10

Tue 4 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Wed 5 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Captioned Performance

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Thu 6 Mar 2014

3:30pm

Concessions Available, Mid-Week Matinee

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Thu 6 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Fri 7 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Sat 8 Mar 2014

3:30pm

Concessions Available, Saturday Matinees

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Sat 8 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Mon 10 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£10

Tue 11 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Wed 12 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Thu 13 Mar 2014

3:30pm

Concessions Available, Mid-Week Matinee

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Thu 13 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Fri 14 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Sat 15 Mar 2014

3:30pm

Concessions Available, Saturday Matinees

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Sat 15 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Mon 17 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£10

Tue 18 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Wed 19 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Thu 20 Mar 2014

3:30pm

Concessions Available, Mid-Week Matinee

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Thu 20 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Fri 21 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Sat 22 Mar 2014

3:30pm

Concessions Available, Saturday Matinees

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Sat 22 Mar 2014

8:00pm

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

£32, £22, £16, £12

Sold out Performances

Tickets £32, £22, £16, £12
Mondays all seats £10 (available in advance to Friends and Supporters subject to availability and on the day of the performance from 9am online)
Concessions £5 off top two prices* (available in advance for all preview performances and all matinees. For all other performances, available on a standby basis on the day)
25s and under £10* (available on £20 and £12 tickets)
School and HE Groups of 8+ 50% off top two prices (available Wednesday -Friday and all matinees)
Groups of 6+ £5 off top price (available Wednesday-Friday)
Access £12 (plus a companion at the same rate)
*ID required. All discounts are subject to availability